Shaffer signs with Marshall

MADISON — It is extremely difficult to do justice to an athlete and student such as Will Shaffer, who recently signed a National Letter of Intent to compete in track at Marshall University.

Shaffer, the former Scott High School star, has had photographs in this newspaper but they do little to underline the outstanding career he had as a member of the Skyhawk track team. In fact, Coach Nick Bias considers Shaffer one of the most outstanding athletes he has coached.

Shaffer signed his letter of intent on May 7 to run cross country track and field at MU. Among those in attendance were his mother, Sara; Bias and Assistant Track and Field Coach Chris McGee.

Shaffer, a three-time state champion, is a ten-time regional champion and seven-time Cardinal Conference champ in track and field. He is also a four-time All-State cross country runner. He finished second, with 28 points, at the 2012 state track meet.

Personal bests through the 2012 season included completing the two-mile in 9:33; the one-mile in 4:24; and the 800-mter in 1:59. He is the school record holder in both the two-mile and the one-mile.

At Marshall, Shaffer will be competing in NCAA Division I track with the Herd’s membership in Conference USA.

Shaffer plans to major in engineering at MU. He graduated from Scott with a 4.4 grade point average and highest honors. He is an Eagle Scout, National Honor Society president, attended the Governor’s Honors Academy and Mountaineer Boys State. He is also a member of HOSA and won the Boone County Math Field Day this year. He qualified to compete in the regional math field day. He was captain of the Scott track/cross country teams.

He attends Madison Baptist Church.

“Will exemplies the term student-athlete,” said Bias. “He is the hardest worker and most talented kid I have ever coached. I expect him to be very successful in the classroom and in his running at Marshall. I anticipate him making an immediate impact on the Marshall XC/Track and Field Team. I think he will be in the top three or four runners his freshman year. The sky is the limit for this young man. It has been an honor and privilege to coach him the past four years”